Unlike the popular, “The Parent Test” TV show, our parent test will be focused on a test to see if you are helping your child as he/she prepares to take the SAT Exam. There are four things that, if you are doing them, then yes, you will pass the parent test!
1. Invest
The notion of investing has become very popular these days. However, if you are looking for an investment this year, we believe that the best investment for 2023 any parent or guardian can make is an investment in your child's/children's education. Particularly, in their preparation for college (if he/she is college bound). Parents often overlook the impact of college debt on their child’s future. In fact, one of the most immediate impacts may be on your child/children eligibility to become a homeowner. Specifically, student loans may prevent your child/children from buying a home because their debt-to-income ratio may be too high. So, investing in college readiness resources such as test prep, college counseling, scholarship coaching, financial aid advising, etc. is a great idea! Combined, these investments may cost between $1000 - $3000 but yield over $100,000 on scholarship dollars for your child.
2. Start early
As mentioned in our previous blog, “When is the best time to take the SAT,” the best time for your child to start preparing to take the SAT exam is the summer before your child starts the 11th grade. You may read more details on this by visiting https://www.sharpesessions.com/post/sattestdate2023, where we discuss the timeline for SAT prep. Do not wait until your child is a senior to start preparation for the SAT exam. However, if your child is a senior when you are reading this, the time to start preparing for the SAT is now.
3. Partner with your child’s tutor or SAT prep instructor
We see great results when the parents of the students we tutor or the students who take our SAT prep course partner with us. We make it a point to send parents progress reports. In addition to sending progress reports, we also do follow up calls to give parents updates on their child's improvements. Believe it or not, not all parents follow up with their child and what they are doing in class. Just as you would check on your investment portfolio, we recommend that you check on your child’s progress in the course. We see the most success from the students whose parents hold them accountable for their assignments and their study schedule.
4. Provide encouragement
Encouragement goes a long way for students. To encourage your child as he/she prepares for the SAT, you may offer incentive for goals achieved. For instance, if your child obtains a desired goal, give them a reward. If you find that he/she sticks to his/her study plan, give them a treat. If you see your child getting discouraged because they see a low score on one of their practice exams, give him/her a pep talk. Students thrive in encouraging environments. This also helps to build their self-confidence for the big day.
Now ask yourself, “Am I doing/prepared to do these four things to help my child prepare for the SAT exam?” This is the true parent test!
To register for our SAT prep course, you may visit https://www.sharpesessions.com/sat.
To purchase our SAT prep workbook as a resource for studying, you may visit https://www.sharpesessions.com/satworkbook.